By HipHop Chamber

In an era where music often reflects the realities of everyday life, artists are increasingly using their voices to address some of the difficult issues affecting their communities. Burno and Edu Masta are taking that route with their latest release, “Cadha Edulis,” a socially conscious track that explores drug abuse, the business surrounding substances and the growing challenge of counterfeit alcoholic drinks.

The title Cadha Edulis draws from the botanical/scientific name associated with miraa, also known in different communities as alele, jaba or gwethe. But despite the title, Burno says the song is not intended simply to glorify or promote the substance. Instead, it uses the subject as a vehicle to examine the effects of drug abuse and the need for society to confront the problem.

A Song Inspired by a Growing Concern

For Burno, Cadha Edulis comes from a place of concern.

The artist says he has been troubled by the number of young people being affected by drug abuse and the consequences that come with it. He also references the recent death of an artist he identifies as Stupid Boy (Clever Boy), whom he associates with drug abuse, as part of the emotional backdrop behind the song.

“It is hurting to see the young people lost in drugs,” Burno says.

That sentiment runs throughout Cadha Edulis. Rather than approaching the subject from one particular angle, Burno and Edu Masta use the song’s verses to portray different sides of the issue.

Edu Masta Takes the Listener Across the Border

The first verse introduces Edu Masta, who, according to Burno, takes on the role of a supplier involved in moving Cadha Edulis across borders.

Edu Masta’s character presents the business from the perspective of someone who is comfortable with what he is doing and does not necessarily see a problem with his activities.

This approach gives the song an interesting narrative dimension. The listener is introduced to the supply side of the story before being taken deeper into the consequences of substance abuse.

By portraying the supplier’s perspective, the artists invite listeners to think beyond consumption and consider the wider networks and economic activities that can surround drugs and other substances.

Burno Brings the Story Back to the Victim

The second verse changes direction, with Burno portraying what he describes as the perspective of a victim of drug abuse.

Here, the song becomes more personal.

The narrative moves away from the business of supplying substances and towards the consequences experienced by individuals caught in the cycle. Burno’s character represents the human side of the issue — the people whose lives can be affected by substance abuse.

The verse also introduces another concern: counterfeit alcoholic drinks, an issue that Burno sees as part of the wider substance-abuse conversation.

Counterfeit Alcohol: A Wider Problem

The song’s discussion of counterfeit alcohol also connects with concerns raised by Kenya’s anti-counterfeit authorities.

According to the Nation Africa report shown to HipHop Chamber, Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) chief executive Robi Ndegwa King’a told a Senate committee that approximately 67 per cent of locally manufactured alcoholic drinks were being counterfeited. The report said the ACA was working with several alcohol manufacturers to detect and address counterfeit products being sold as though they were genuine.

The statistic provides an important real-world context for the subject explored in Burno’s second verse.

For the artists, the issue isn’t limited to the individual making a choice to consume a substance. It also raises questions about the people producing, distributing and selling products that can ultimately reach consumers.

More Than Entertainment

At its core, Cadha Edulis is built around a message.

Burno says he hopes the song can reach people who have been affected by drug abuse and perhaps encourage them to reconsider the direction their lives are taking.

That intention gives the track a different dimension. While the song uses the language, characters and storytelling associated with hip-hop, its underlying theme is a social one: what happens when substance abuse becomes deeply embedded within a community, and what can be done to change the situation?

Music cannot solve such a complex problem on its own, but it can create conversations. For Burno and Edu Masta, Cadha Edulis is their contribution to that conversation.

The Bigger Picture

One of the most interesting aspects of Cadha Edulis is the way the artists structure the story.

Edu Masta’s portrayal of the supplier and Burno’s portrayal of the victim create two contrasting perspectives within the same song. One represents the business surrounding the substance, while the other represents the consequences that can emerge on the receiving end.

That contrast allows the listener to look at the issue from more than one angle.

Rather than simply telling the audience what to think, the artists use their verses to present a scenario and leave room for reflection.

A Call for Change

Ultimately, Burno hopes Cadha Edulis can become more than a song people listen to and move on from.

His hope is that it will reach people affected by drug abuse, particularly young people, and encourage a broader conversation about changing behaviour and addressing substance abuse within society.

With Cadha Edullis, Burno and Edu Masta have taken a controversial and sensitive subject and turned it into a piece of musical storytelling — one that touches on drug abuse, the supply of substances, counterfeit alcohol and the human consequences behind these issues.

Whether heard as a hip-hop record or as social commentary, Cadha Edulis ultimately asks listeners to look beyond the music and consider the reality behind the subject.

For Burno and Edu Masta, the message is clear: the conversation about substance abuse needs to continue, and music can be one of the platforms through which that conversation reaches the people who need to hear it.

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